1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to analyzing electrocardiographic signals within stress testing systems, and more specifically, to estimating the length of ST segments within electrocardiographic signals as the rate at which the heart beats change as a result of exercise.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Numerous stress test systems exist that test electrocardiographic signals. These systems perform many functions that need to be performed within a stress test system including the construction of a digital representation of the ECG to be analyzed. Conventional stress test systems use a previously defined length for the ST segments in analysis of the digital representation of ECG signals. While this standard length gives some value for an ST segment, it does not provide a realistic estimate of the dynamically changing value of the ST segment. Changes that occur in the ST segment as a result of varying rates of heartbeats will go unnoticed without some method or apparatus for dynamically altering the ST segment to provide a realistic estimate of the length of the ST segment.
Is should be apparent from the foregoing discussion that there is a need for a system in which the ST segment is dynamically altered in response to varying rates of heartbeats. The present invention provides such a system.